7/24/15

It's a Start

Yesterday I was able to get a start on sewing together the Vintage Tin quilt. Grocery shopping had to come first. When I got home, I was able to make the first two blocks. These will go in two corners of the finished quilt. This is the traditional "Crossroads" block:


Whoops! A head bonk...watch out for cats.


Okay, there we go. Here's the second one, unobstructed by whiskers.


He came in for a hit of catnip. He has fresh catnip growing outside, but what the heck? When he's in the sewing room, he'll have a little dry, please.


Man, that is some righteous weed. Thanks.

Take a picture of my better side, Mom. Let the peeps see how truly handsome I am.


Okay, well clearly, I had a lot more help than I could use. And it was nearing dinner time for him and the humans of the house, so I quit there.

This morning, I've been trying a new recipe for some Beef Bourguignon Pot Pies. I was kind of hoping it would make four pies so that we could have two for dinner tonight and I could freeze two for our trip to Moab in September. The original recipe has a puff pastry crust, but I decided to just use a regular Pillsbury pie crust on mine. It braises in the oven for an hour and a half, then you add some mushrooms and pearl onions and you're supposed to braise it for another half hour. When I took it out of the oven just now, I was concerned to see that all the liquid had boiled out of it. I just added the mushrooms and pearl onions (which were browned in an earlier step), stirred it up, and called it good. When it's cool enough, I'll put it in ramekins and then add the crust. I'll have to get back to you on how it turns out. Just looking at it, however, I doubt there's enough for four servings. I'll be happy if I can get two for dinner tonight.

There are a few housekeeping chores on my list, but those will be finished up quickly. Then I can get back to my sewing.

9 comments:

quiltzyx said...

Nice Crossroads blocks!

Oh Smitty, you remind me of some of my friends from the olden days in that first photo!! I hope you're not overdoing that stuff.

Chris said...

Well, Smitty......don't you just present the most purrfect profile? I for one (or two since that's how many cats let us live here) think that every quilt needs a touch of whiskers and hair with a memory of purr lovingly stitched in to lull one to sleep.

Dasha said...

I love the colours you have chosen for those blocks. My favs.

Celtic Thistle said...

I love your Vintage Tin embroideries and I am loving those blocks, it is going.to be a gorgeous quilt!

Dana Gaffney said...

The "stoned" Smitty picture made me laugh. Beef Bourguignon Pot Pies? Wow that sounds delicious I hope they work out.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Tee Hee - love the whicker photo bomb. The start is looking good.

Auntiepatch said...

I must say that the first time I looked at the whisker photo, I thought it was Smitty streaking through the picture but I couldn't figure how you got the shot!!! Cartoon shot? LOL!
My Grayson is on the counter eating catnip right now. Why is it my male cats love catnip and my female cats have never had anything to do with it? Hummm.............

gayle said...

I thought the whisker shot was the quilt block taking off with motion lines, like Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner.
I think I would be tempted to make the Bourguignon part in the crockpot, then make and bake the pies. But I'm lazy in the summer and don't like to heat up the kitchen...

Kate said...

I'm glad you clarified the presence of whiskers, I was really wondering what had gotten on your lens.